Two northwest Iowa men charged with killing pigs

Two men are facing charges of livestock abuse after an investigation of hog confinement burglaries in northwest Iowa. Plymouth County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 30-year-old Jason Peters of Brunsville and 21-year-old Ryan Utesch of rural Le Mars.

They’re accused of using a hammer to kill 13 pigs taken from two rural Le Mars hog confinements on April 8th and burying the livestock remains near a creek. According to the sheriff’s office, the owners of three hog confinements didn’t know tools and pigs had been taken from their facilities.

Four people, including Utesch and Peters, are charged with the burglaries.